Queen's hospital celebrates first organ transplants

The Queen's Medical Center is celebrating Hawaii's first organ transplants since Hawaii Medical Center closed more than three months ago.

The Honolulu hospital plans to host a celebration Thursday for two liver transplant patients.

Hawaii Medical Center, formerly St. Francis Medical Center, used to run the state's only organ transplant center. Queen's decided to start one when Hawaii Medical Center announced in December it would close because it couldn't find a buyer.

In January, the national organization for organ transplants approved Queen's application to perform liver transplants. The United Network for Organ Sharing is still reviewing the hospital's request to perform kidney, pancreas and heart transplants.

Queen's has hired 16 employees to support The Queen's Transplant Center.